Top 5 local breakthroughs of the last decade

To look back on the last decade of local music is like peering down from the observation deck of the Sears Tower--so much success, so much drama, so much action.

Interested in our futile attempt to put a quantifiable, rank-able value on the last 10 years of music? Head below the jump for our modest nominees for the top 5 local breakthroughs of the year.

5. Solid Gold--The most recent breakout from the Twin Cities (save for, ahem, Owl City) comes in the form of hip electro-pop five-piece Solid Gold, who are finishing up a banner year. Tours in Europe, high-profile shows in Brooklyn, and healthy doses of attention from MTV2 and hipster-friendly music blogs have guaranteed that this band will continue their steady trajectory skyward in the next decade.

4. Tapes 'N Tapes--Pitchfork write-ups, national blurbs, a tour of the great down under--news from the TnT camp has been a little thin in the last year, but it wasn't long ago that Tapes 'N Tapes were the "it" act of the Twin Cities.

3. Mason Jennings--After being a regional commodity since before the Y2k bug was a gleam in Steve Jobs' bald head, Mason Jennings experienced a slow and steady increase in his stock. The deal was all but sealed with the international praise for his latest disc, Blood Of Man, which earned him shout outs across the national media.

2. Har Mar Superstar--Proof positive that blood, sweat, and bared buns pay great dividends. Sean Tillman's stage persona is the definitive example of the relative values of perspiration and inspiration. We struggle to think of a harder working entertainer in the cities, and his knack for hustle and keen hooks is damned uncanny.

1. Rhymesayers--From indie brainchild to 500 pound gorilla. Their inclusion in every year end best-of is a slam dunk, and not for no good reason. The local label has been Billboard charting for years. Their acts fill venues stateside and abroad. They were the defining local musical force of the first 2k decade. And they're ours, to have and to hold, to keep and to cherish, 'till death do us part.

As with any list, there's glaring omissions. Let us know how fucked up we are in the comments section.